Geurrier
by blueangel573
Summary: Ulrich was admitted to a mental hospital for his depression and anger by his mother several months ago. His days were monotonous, always the same, and nothing ever changed. That is until a boy with several eating disorders and a tendency to self harm gets placed in Ulrich's room. [Hospital AU; No Lyoko]
1. Chapter 1

Ulrich woke up sluggishly, tired and already ready for it to hit nine pm so he could go back to sleep. The German boy sighed and shut off his alarm, eyes resting on the large window to his right. Another day, what a sham. Ulrich lifted himself out of his less than comfortable bed, sifting through his closet for his daily pair of jeans, black shirt, and green jacket. The sleeves placed perfectly over his upper arms to hide the remnants of his anger filled night the day before. The brunette snapped his collar forward, brushing the wrinkles out of his shirt.

"Hey, sweet pea." Ulrich looked over as Mrs. Rosa entered his room, brandishing a tray filled with differing breakfast foods. The tray contained a small bowl of cereal, a banana, a glass of milk, and a half of what looked to be a tomato sandwich. Ulrich didn't smile, or offer any sort of thanks as he took the tray from her, sitting himself down at his desk. "Don't forget you have class with Mrs. Hertz this morning, and I know that both Mr. Jim and Delmas need to have a word with you later." Rosa finished, walking out the door as Ulrich still didn't offer any response.

Shoving his food to the side, Ulrich reached down and pulled out a green notebook from his desk drawer and a pen, opening up to the next empty page. This was the only way the fourteen year old could get his thoughts out, writing them down and hoping beyond anything that no one dared read the book. He'd been suffering with anger management issues and varying levels of depression all his life, but it hadn't hit the critical stage it had now until the German boy entered his 8th grade year of school. It took two weeks and one call from the school counselor before Ulrich was shipped off to France for inpatient treatment of his duel conditions. He could admit the staff was rather friendly, and it wasn't as if he was locked in a room with white walls and a straight jacket, but sometimes he felt rather trapped.

He was given the ability to decorate his room however he wished, and he wasted no time putting up posters of different martial artists, setting up his writing space, and gathering bed sheets and other such items. His room still felt rather bare, but with the newly painted green walls, it felt a little more homely. Everyday except Saturday afternoons and Sundays, Ulrich was required to attend very typical Junior High school classes with the rest of the pediatric ward. This didn't only include other mental health patients, but those with varying conditions that ranged all the way to amputated limbs and head trauma.

The only thing Ulrich could truly say that he hated, was the large, overbearing window that looked out into the hallway, allowing anyone and everyone to see exactly what he was doing at all times. Despite the fact he understood why, it didn't stop his irritated sighs as he covered his writing with his arm in paranoia. Ulrich knew that what he was writing wouldn't cause any batted eyelids, but to him, it was private and extremely personal. He didn't want a single person to know his inner thoughts, and that was what seemed to keep him trapped in the pediatric psychiatry ward.

If he couldn't talk about his problems, the problems couldn't be helped. Therefore, he couldn't leave. He was still a danger to himself, so he still need to be kept in a glass room with 24 hour supervision.

Ulrich finished up his most recent journal entry, closing the book and setting it to the side. He took a quick glance at his untouched breakfast and decided against eating anything except the cereal this morning. He was far from having an eating disorder, but he was a very picky eater. Rosa always tried new things every morning, afternoon, and evening to see if she could find something he'd enjoy, but she was always left with either the food untouched, or partially eaten. With Ulrich being selectively mute in the hospital, it was hard to get him to tell them what he wanted, and even if he did feel like speaking, he didn't exactly know anyway. More cereal and less fruit? Breakfasts in France were much more sweet than he was used to back home, and it was hard to say he didn't enjoy the hot chocolate and croissants every morning. He just didn't.

Taking a final bite of his cereal, he stood up from his chair and stood in front of the only mirror occupying the small room, fixing his mussed up hair. Once he was satisfied, he slipped his socks and shoes on and headed for his first class of the day. As he walked slowly through the ward, he took notice of the colorful walls, the sterile smell, and the constant ruckus of feet running or walking across the floor. From inside his room Ulrich could almost pretend that he wasn't here, but outside his safe place, he felt exposed and anxious. He felt out of his element, and with that his footsteps quickened towards the classrooms on the lower floor.

Ulrich decided to take the stairs today, his eyes spotting a particular black haired beauty he did not want to deal with that morning. The daughter of the Dean of Medicine for the hospital, attending classes here as if it was some sort of boarding school. Okay, Ulrich knew that the girl wasn't healthy just as the rest of them, but by the way she acted you'd never know she was fighting stage three brain cancer.

Sissi Delmas is what she preferred to be called. She latched onto Ulrich from the first day he'd arrived, making note of how she was the prettiest and best girl in the entire hospital. Ulrich hadn't said a word to her, ignoring her presence and continuing on with setting up his room hidden within his own mind. He couldn't hear as she talked about all her new clothes, or the flowers she painted on her room's wall, or how many bottles of perfume she had littering her vanity. The most he heard was a slight mumbling behind him as he worked through the motions, making his bed with an accuracy only the girl with OCD next door seemed to possess. He didn't even hear as Sissi bid him a goodnight and left the room, and he didn't question as he came to and found his room empty.

Ulrich opened the door to the ground floor, taking notice of the few people speaking at the front desk. A woman with a thick Italian accent and tears streaming down her face was filling out several forms, a group of similarly looking children sat behind her. Ulrich could only imagine that one of her children was in the process of being admitted, his mother reacting very similarly as she filled out what he could only assume were the same forms. He wondered which kid it was, and what they were here for. Or even, if it was any of the kids present at all. Ulrich looked ahead again, deciding to ignore the family and make his way to class with an unoccupied mind. It was hard enough to listen as is, he didn't need the thought of a new kid being stuck here distracting him.

 _Stuck._ That's a strong word, he thought. In a lot of ways, Ulrich felt more at home here than he did back with his father. Ulrich's heart jolting in his chest, anger flooding through his entire being as thoughts of his father floating through his mind. So much for going to class with an unoccupied mind. He didn't realize until a comforting hand settled itself on his back that he had stopped in the middle of the hallway, hands clenched at his sides as his body began to shut down, brain trained to only one thought. _What did I do wrong?_

"Ulrich, are you okay?" A gruff voice said, and Ulrich stared ahead still, eyes trained on the white walls in front of him. "Come on, breath with me. Breath in." The voice said, and Ulrich followed what he said. "1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Good." Ulrich held his breath for another five seconds, before breathing out. "1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 , 9, 10." Ulrich finally turned his head and came eye to eye with one of his nurses. Jim Morales, former physical education coach turned nurse after one of his kids got horribly injured during a game. The large man had lost his passion for coaching after that, and decided instead to focus on something he could use to help other kids in similar bad situations.

 _Thank you,_ Ulrich signed. The German boy quickly picked up basic sign language when he was admitted to the hospital. If he wasn't going to speak, he knew he had to have at least some way of communication. It was far too irritating for Ulrich when people got frustrated with him for not speaking, so if he could have a basic conversation in sign language, that suited him just fine. He didn't have to talk back, and they knew what he was saying. It really was a win win situation for everyone.

"No problem, kid." Jim gave him a slight pat on the back, walking with him the rest of the way to his class. Ulrich really had nothing against Jim. Yeah he was strict about bedtimes and waking up in the morning, made sure they all did their homework and ate their meals. However, if there was ever something anyone needed, Jim really was the first one anyone called for. "Have a good day, champ. Try to seep something into that head of yours, for once." Jim winked at him and walked away, and for the first time in a while, a small smile graced his lips. Ulrich pushed the door to the classroom open and found it was still slightly empty, Sissi and her friends being the only ones present at the moment.

"Oh, Ulrich dear. You made it!" Sissi shouted, and it took all Ulrich had not to tell the girl to shove off and find someone else to latch onto. Instead of doing just that, the brunette ignored her and sat down at the far back of the room, eyes trained on the door as more people began to file into the class. It wasn't long before one of the only people he could truly tolerate walked in, making his way slowly towards the back of the class to take a seat next to Ulrich. Jeremy Belpois, sharp as a nail, but horribly messed up in the head. He was the first one Ulrich met with any sort of personality disorder that might just be more debilitating than his own, and considering the other kids were afraid of both of them, the two struck up a quick comradery.

Jeremy was borderline schizophrenic with obsessive compulsive disorder to boot. Ulrich often caught Jeremy in full on conversations with the voices in his head, and even so, he never felt that the other was particularly crazy. Maybe that was why they got along so well with each other. They didn't treat each other like basket cases like most of the other kids. They were just sick in a different way, and all they wanted was to get better just like everyone else. Jeremy waved at him as he took his seat, and Ulrich sent him a slight wave in response. One of the things Ulrich liked about the French kid was that he never pressured Ulrich to speak. He accepted that the German didn't feel safe in the environment, and left it at that.

Jeremy took his time assembling his supplies, placing his pencils, paper, and other items in exact lines. Ulrich was surprised the blonde didn't carry around a ruler with him anymore. When the two first met, Jeremy was obsessed with everything being the same length and width. If his pencils weren't the exact same height as each other, he went into a fit until he could fix them. Ulrich was the only one that ever sat through those fits with little to no reaction, while others backed away or whispered as if being _crazy_ was contagious and they didn't want to catch it.

"Did you finish your science homework?" Jeremy suddenly said, hands crossed properly over his notebooks. The one thing that slightly bothered Ulrich about Jeremy, was he never knew if Jeremy was talking to him or himself. When the blonde looked over to him questioningly, Ulrich knew he had his answer.

 _Yes, wasn't too hard this time._ Ulrich signed back, and Jeremy smiled proudly at him. _Want to see?_ Jeremy nodded and turned to face him, smile plastered over his face. Ulrich loved how supportive Jeremy was of him, and the fact he never treated him like he was stupid for not understanding certain material. Several nights a week the two would converge in one of their rooms and work on homework together, Jeremy teaching him everything from basic science to something Ulrich classified under rocket science.

Ulrich finally retrieved his finished worksheet out of his bag, handing it over to Jeremy for the other to read over. "Wow, Ulrich. This is great! I think this is your best work yet." Ulrich smiled lightly at the other, retrieving his paper and reading it over again.

 _Thank you, it's because you helped me._ Ulrich responded, and Jeremy shrugged him off.

"That was all you." Jeremy said with a smile, and Ulrich looked down to hide his growing smile. It wasn't long after that Ulrich took notice of Jeremy obsessively playing with the sleeves of his red sweater, making sure the sleeves were of equal length on both his arms before folding his arms back over his notebook again. Looks like their conversation time was over, but Ulrich didn't feel very upset by the thought. He knew Jeremy fell back into his own mind much like Ulrich himself. He just hoped the other wasn't causing himself too much stress over things Ulrich could only imagine being an issue.

"Alright, class. Quiet down!" Everyone took their seats and ceased conversation as a short, grey haired woman walked through the door. She was clad in a lab coat, dress that could've very well come from the thrift store down the street, and black heels. Mrs. Hertz, their one and only science teacher. "Today we are going to be talking about photosynthesis." Ulrich already found himself drowning out the talking of the woman, hands idly picking at the skin on the back of his hand. His mind was too preoccupied with the sad woman from the lobby and the thoughts of his father, and it was clear that this wasn't going unnoticed by his friend beside him.

"Stop that. Please don't hurt yourself, Ulrich." Jeremy whispered, placing his hand lightly over Ulrich's own. "I don't know what you're thinking, but don't let it overwhelm you." It was funny hearing that come from Jeremy, knowing how many times the other had a full blown panic over the pictures on his wall being .3 centimeters off from each other. Regardless though, it helped. Ulrich nodded his head in apology and instead occupied his hands with twirling around his pencil, eyes trained on the blackboard in front of him. This was going to be a long day, and Ulrich knew it already. Long and tedious.

"Oh, look at that." Mrs. Hertz suddenly stopped her talking and made her way over to the door, opening it and slipping outside. Ulrich looked over to Jeremy with a questioning look, the other shrugging his shoulders as their science teacher entered once again. "Alright class, so today we have two new people for you to meet." She motioned for said people to enter, and a shocked expression overcame Ulrich's face as he recognized them both from the waiting room earlier that day.

"This is Yumi Ishiyama." Mrs. Hertz introduced, and the girl waved shyly at the rest of the class. Yes, Ulrich was sure he had seen the girl in the waiting room. Her family had been much smaller and less dramatic, but he knew her face. "Would you like to introduce yourself? Just say where you're from, and why you're with us." Mrs. Hertz stepped back as she let Yumi introduce herself.

"I'm from Japan, and I'm here to be treated for Ewing's Sarcoma." The class clapped politely as Yumi backed away from the spotlight she had been placed under, and with a smile Mrs. Hertz placed her hand on the blonde boy beside her. That kid had been in the large family he'd taken notice of before he'd come to class, he was sure of it. It was a wonder they didn't even let the kids get settled in before thrusting them into a classroom to introduce themselves to a room full of kids they'd never met before.

"How about you, dear?" Mrs. Hertz said, and the small boy stepped forward. Ulrich quickly took notice the kid really _was_ small. He was thin as a stick, his height only compensated by his spiked up hair and platform red shoes.

"My name is Odd Dellarobbia. I'm from Italy. I'm here for depression." Odd was very quiet as he spoke, his hands covering his middle in a protective way. Ulrich knew that the kid didn't say exactly the truth, but only partially so as to avoid scrutinizing glances and that horrible bout of _pity._ It was with this that Delmas walked into the room and said a few words to Mrs. Hertz before singling Ulrich out from the rest of the group.

"Ulrich, could I speak with you for a second?" Delmas said, motioning for him to come outside into the hallway. Ulrich lifted himself up from his seat with little in the ways of a response, walking slowly out the door followed by Delmas and Odd. Ulrich was confused and intrigued by the boy's behaviour. He looked like the type bursting with energy, but for the time being he looked more than nervous. Rocking on his heels and twiddling with his fingers.

"Now, Ulrich. I would like to ask your permission to have Odd here room with you from now on." Delmas said, and Ulrich could already see the pain of rejection flittering through the smaller boy's eyes. Ulrich didn't know what he'd gone through in his short life, but obviously he wasn't showered with much praise and support. While Ulrich couldn't bare the thought of having a roommate, he was curious about the Italian, and he wanted to get to know him better.

 _Okay._ Ulrich signed, and for a second, Ulrich thought he saw the sun in the boy's eyes. Delmas smiled brightly at the two of them, patting them both on the back.

"I think this will be good for you, Ulrich." Delmas said quietly so only Ulrich could hear, and with a small shrug the Dean knew he agreed. At least, partially. He hoped Odd wouldn't be too annoying or disrupt his daily schedule in any way. He hated having his stuff messed up, and he refused to allow Odd to do so.

 _Are you hard of hearing?_ Odd signed to him, and Ulrich felt a bit of something swell up in his chest. He didn't know exactly what it was he felt, but he liked the fact that Odd could sign. It was a lot more personal than someone speaking to him and him merely signing back in some way, and he appreciated it greatly.

 _Selectively mute._ Ulrich signed back, and Odd nodded at him. The smaller boy gave him a breathtakingly large smile and wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

 _Hopefully we'll get along well._ Odd signed and Ulrich nodded to him. Delmas sat back and smiled lightly at the exchange, glad that Jim had taken notice to Ulrich's demeanour when spotting the blonde's family earlier. Delmas hoped greatly that it would help Ulrich break out of his shell and open up to them a bit more, allowing the staff to truly begin working through the problems the boy possesses deep somewhere in his mind.

"Why don't you boys head up to your room? You could help Odd set up a bit, Ulrich. Let him know the rules, how we operate a bit." Ulrich nodded in agreement and went back inside the classroom to gather up his supplies, Jeremy staring at him questioningly.

 _I got a roommate._ Ulrich signed, and Jeremy nodded. He gave a small wave to Mrs. Hertz and met up with Odd yet again, guiding him to the elevator that would take them to the second floor where they'd find their room.

 _I'll stay out of your hair as much as I can._ Odd signed suddenly as Ulrich turned back from the elevator door. He was shocked by the statement, and Ulrich shook his head.

 _You don't have to. You seem cool._ Ulrich said back, and Odd looked sadly down at the ground, shoe covered toes digging into the floor. Yes, there was for sure something Ulrich needed to dig for. A frown wasn't befitting of the boy in front of him, and Ulrich intended to fix that the best he could.

 _You just don't seem the type to like sporadic roommates._ Odd signed. Ulrich thought idly about the statement. Yeah, he really did not like the idea of having a roommate, and he especially didn't like the thought of not being able to prepare for said roommate. Despite this, there was something about Odd that said _help me_ , and Ulrich couldn't turn him away.

 _I don't, but it's okay. I'm sure we'll get along well._ Ulrich responded, guiding Odd out onto the floor after the elevator opened up again. They walked along the empty hallways, all the other kids either being asleep or in classes if they were able to go. _This is Jeremy's room. He's my friend that helps me with science and math._ Ulrich signed, stopping just outside the blonde's room. It was quite bare, nothing but a poster of Einstein taped to the wall above his bed. Odd nodded in response.

 _Does he work with computers?_ Odd questioned, pointing to the lone computer sitting in the room. It peaked the blonde's interest just because the room was bare save for the bed, computer desk, computer itself, and a wardrobe.

 _Yes. He's obsessed with them._ Ulrich responded, guiding the blonde along the hallway. _He likes to visit a girl upstairs. She's in a coma, but he talks to her a lot about computers and math. Boring topics that he finds intriguing._ Ulrich signed as the walked through the hallway, stopping just outside their room's door.

 _Why would someone in a coma want to hear about computers?_ Odd chuckled at this, and Ulrich gave a small smile as his face suddenly began to light up. _I don't even want to hear about computers when I'm conscious._ Odd exclaimed, and Ulrich allowed himself a slight chuckle at that.

 _Me either. He's got a one track mind._ Ulrich responded and pulled open the sliding glass door to their room. Sat on the opposite wall of Ulrich's room was a bed that hadn't been there before, and piled on top was several bags and suitcases filled with what Ulrich could only assume was Odd's clothes and other belongings.

 _This is it._ Ulrich signed, twirling around with his arms out above his head. Odd nodded in approval and hopped up onto his bed.

 _Not very comfy._ Odd signed, and Ulrich smiled again.

 _No, but you get used to it._ Ulrich responded, and Odd smiled brightly at him again. Ulrich wondered vaguely if anyone had ever treated Odd with even an ounce of respect in his life. Their basic conversation was making the younger far too happy, but, as Ulrich thought closely, it was making him far happier than he'd been in a while as well. _Got any posters to hang up?_ Ulrich asked, and Odd hopped excitedly off the bed.

 _You've got to see these!_ Odd said excitedly.


	2. Chapter 2

_I've always really liked the Subsonics._ Odd signed as they placed the last of his posters up on the wall. Ulrich had to admit, they complemented the rest of the room nicely. He didn't feel at all overwhelmed like he originally thought he would.

 _Me too._ Ulrich signed back. _I've always really wanted to go to one of their concerts._ Odd smiled brightly at this, hopping back onto his bed and motioning for Ulrich to join him. The German boy smiled lightly and joined Odd on his bed, slipping off his shoes and sitting cross legged to face him. It was amazing how well the two already got along, despite the fact an hour ago Ulrich would've been convinced getting a roommate was the end of the world. Odd shuffled through his bag for a second before pulling out a small notebook.

 _My sister took me to one when I was going through a bad time. It was a bit too much, very loud and a lot of people. I still have a few pictures though._ Odd said, opening the journal to the middle, several photos loose but still in perfect condition. Ulrich took a few of them and smiled at the photos. Odd still had that same pensive look on his face, but the small smile showed he was truly attempting to enjoy himself. Ulrich could only assume how he'd do in a room full of loud, screaming teenagers, but it was a good thought nonetheless. Apparently, Odd had the same thoughts as well.

"How are we doing, boys?" Ulrich's head shot up at the sound of Jim's voice. Odd gave the man a thumbs up.

"I'm showing Ulrich some photos of the time I went to a Subsonics concert. He said he'd like to go someday." Odd said, slightly shocked by the surprised look Jim now sported. Ulrich bit back a smile, knowing that the other had always tried to get Ulrich to speak about his likes and what he wanted to do, but never could get him to open up about it. "Did I say something wrong?" Odd suddenly asked, and Jim was quick to reassure him that he had not.

 _I don't speak a lot._ Ulrich signed to Odd behind the other boy's journal, and Odd nodded his head in understanding.

"Well, I'm glad that everything is going well. I'll order you both some lunch and you can chill out a bit before group therapy." Jim said, walking swiftly out of the room. Odd sighed and flopped back on the bed. Ulrich took quick notice that the boy's shirt had ridden up slightly to reveal his stomach, and it was with a sickening feeling he spotted scars littering the boy's olive toned skin.

 _Those don't fit you._ Ulrich signed, and Odd quickly pulled his shirt back down to cover them. Ulrich wasn't shocked by the reaction, and he made no move to show that he felt anything over what he had said. It was true, the scars didn't fit someone like Odd. The smaller boy wasn't made to be damaged, and Ulrich knew it already despite only knowing the boy for a few hours.

 _Sorry, wasn't thinking._ Odd said in response, and Ulrich shook his head. Thinking for just a moment, Ulrich threw caution to the wind and lifted his sleeve up slightly, revealing the angry red marks littering his upper arm. Odd sat back up and stared intently at them, his hands fiddling lightly at his sides. The Italian eventually looked back up at him questioningly, and Ulrich pulled the sleeve back down.

 _I don't like feeling alone._ Ulrich said, and even shocking himself, he realized he had mouthed the words along with his hands. Odd smiled lightly at him, taking notice of that fact as well.

 _Well, you won't be alone anymore._ Odd exclaimed, giving Ulrich a thumbs up as he finished his set of words. Ulrich grinned at the smaller boy, head turned to look down at the ground. Ulrich felt a small inkling in the back of his brain, almost an itch that he could never scratch if he tried. Ulrich was never the type to warm up to people this quickly, and he could only assume that Odd wasn't either. _Was that weird?_ Odd signed to him, and Ulrich shook his head negatively.

 _I'm glad._ Ulrich said, and the smile Odd sent him was one he could only describe as something he'd _missed._ It was a weird way to describe a feature of someone he'd just met, but there was no other way to describe it accurately. The smile was so soft and barely noticeable, but more genuine than any of the other's he'd seen on the boy's face since he'd first arrived. It was then that Odd looked up and caught his stare, and for a moment Ulrich felt like he'd finally found out what home felt like. He'd never felt more secure in another person's presence.

"Ding, ding. Lunch is here." The two boys jumped as the large nurse walked into the room, a cart with two identical lunch trays sat on top. "Did I scare you?" Jim laughed, placing a tray on Ulrich's desk and handing the other to Odd.

 _I want to eat here._ Ulrich said, sending a small glance Odd's way. Jim was taken by surprise, but nodded despite that. He picked the tray up and handed it to Ulrich, sending the two a small wave before walking back out into the hallway. Ulrich took a quick inventory of his tray, eyebrow raising as he found he didn't recognize a single thing on it. The very typical sandwich, soup, and milk assortment replaced with spaghetti and meatballs, chips, and cold tea. Ulrich took one of the chips off his plate, placing it into his mouth and chewing delicately. The taste wasn't bad, and he couldn't find a reason not to eat the rest.

 _Not like it?_ Ulrich asked as he noticed the boy beside him picking at his food. The blonde startled a bit, quickly masking his surprise with a fake smile and a shake of his head.

 _Just thinking. My bad._ He said back, shoveling the food quickly into his mouth. Ulrich wondered if the boy knew he couldn't fool him with his little lies that probably worked on every other person on the planet. Ulrich finished off the last of his chips, staring wide eyed as Odd took a last bite of his spaghetti, his entire plate empty. Wow, that kid really had a stomach, Ulrich thought. _I'm going to run to the bathroom._ Odd said, placing his tray back onto the cart Jim left behind. Ulrich nodded his head and waited until the door clicked shut before placing his tray on the bed and jogging over to the bathroom door.

There it was, Ulrich thought. The faint sound of gagging, something hitting the water, and finally the toilet flushing and sink water running. The German boy quickly made his way back to the bed, shoving a few more bites of food in his mouth so as to not look as if he'd stopped eating. The brunette wasn't shocked by the revelation, but he still didn't think he was ready for Odd to know he knew just yet. It was obvious the Italian didn't want anyone to know about his condition, if leaving it out of his introduction was any indication. _He'll tell me when he's ready,_ Ulrich said to himself.

By the time the bathroom door opened again, Ulrich had all but finished his food. A couple more bites of spaghetti left and a few sips of the tea. _Group therapy?_ Odd signed to him, sitting next to him on the bed again.

 _Boring. Nothing more I can say on it._ Ulrich responded, finishing off his food and placing it next to Odd's tray on the cart. The smaller nodded and laid back against his pillow, hand protectively covering his stomach. One day, Ulrich hoped, the two of them would be close enough they could open up fully about the reasons they were here. He didn't doubt very much that they would, but he was known to be wrong in the past.

"Oh, Ulrich, sweetheart!" Ulrich heard someone call, and for the first time since he'd arrived he let out an audible groan. Odd laughed beside him, looking outside the door. Not long after Sissi Delmas walked through the door, hands clasped together in front of her. Ulrich could only assume she was trying to look either cute or seductive, neither of which truly came off on him. "Hello, dear. I just came to meet your new burden." Sissi said, not even attempting to catch herself for being rude. Ulrich's face twisted into a frown, his heart sinking as Odd's face twisted into a self loathing grimace. No, no one made Odd look that way. Especially not the string bean in front of him. "I just came to tell you it's time for you to escort that one to crazy corner. Oh also, that Chinese girl got put with Mrs. Jeremy Belpois. How fun is that?" Ulrich was fuming, and he could feel his brain slowly lose control over the rest of his body. If he didn't calm down now, he knew he'd do something he'd regret later.

"Ulrich?" He heard Odd say beside him, and it was strange to hear his voice directed at him. It wasn't until the smaller boy's hand rested itself on his arm that he looked over to him, worry plastered over his face. "Hey, it's okay." Odd said, rubbing his hand up and down Ulrich's arm. Ulrich took a deep breath, breathing in and out like Jim always told him. The German boy looked up to see a very startled and slightly annoyed Sissi, the girl scoffing before turning away.

"I can't believe that anorexic freak thinks he can just touch _my_ Ulrich! He hasn't even known him for more than two hours!" She shouted towards her two friends standing outside the room. Ulrich lost it then, ripping his arm out of Odd's hand and stalking quickly behind her. The two friends that had accompanied her shook with fear and ran the opposite direction, screaming for help as the German boy closed in on their friend.

"No! Ulrich, stop!" Odd said, wrapping his arms around Ulrich's waist. The German boy attempted to shake him off, a growl escaping his lips as his eyes trained on the fearful green ones in front of him. How _dare_ she talk about Odd like that. How _dare_ she call him a freak. "Ulrich, please." The voice behind him was tearful and sad, and even in his anger filled mind he knew that wasn't right. That voice didn't fit the person it was coming from, and with a shaking frame he turned toward the boy still holding tightly onto his waist. Odd looked up at him with pleading eyes.

"What helps you? Let me help you, Ulrich." Odd said, looking into his eyes. There it was again, that feeling of home. That feeling of safety, and with a sense of finality, Ulrich took a deep breath in and out. "There you go, in and out." Odd said, loosening his hold on the other boy significantly. Ulrich grasped at the younger's arms, eyes closed tightly as his head began to pound. "I'm not going anywhere, promise. Come on, let's lay down." Odd said, leading Ulrich back to his bed, looking behind him to see both Delmas and Jim watching him in puzzled amazement, Sissi hiding behind her father. Odd assisted Ulrich in laying down on his bed, pulling the covers up to his waist and running back to the bathroom for a small towel and cool water. Once he finished ringing out the towel, he made his way back to the room and placed in gently over the taller boy's head.

"Odd, that was really something." Delmas suddenly said, walking slowly into the room. "I've never seen someone with the ability to calm him that fast in all the time he's been here." Jim joined Delmas as they both stood next to Ulrich's bed, the gym teacher placing a gentle hand on Ulrich's shoulder.

"We click well." Odd said simply, shifting the rag slightly over the boy's forehead. Delmas nodded, hearing the edge of hurt lingering in the boy's voice.

"Odd," Delmas said, pulling a chair up to sit next to where Odd sat on Ulrich's bed. "I must apologize for Sissi's behaviour. She really was once a very nice girl, but when she became sick, she lost the ability to filter out what she thinks and what she says." Odd looked down sadly, playing idly with his pant legs.

"She's right." Odd said quietly, and the smaller was shocked as he felt Ulrich's hand grasp his own. Odd looked down and tears filled his eyes and Ulrich shook his head, eyes open just enough to look into Odd's own.

"Child, listen to me." Delmas said, placing a gentle hand over Odd's bony shoulder. "Everyone here has something about themselves that they may not like. Something that they may not be able to change, or something they're working to change. Regardless, no one here is any less than anyone else. You, my child, are not a freak. You are here to get better, and we intend to help you." Tears fell slowly down Odd's cheeks, and he worked quickly to wipe them away. Jim came around the side of the bed and wrapped a strong arm around the young boy.

"We're a family here, kid. A dysfunctional, rather crazy family, but you get the picture." Jim said, patting the boy on the back. Odd smiled lightly at both of them, wiping away the remainder of his tears.

"Don't cry." The three people occupying the room shot their heads down toward the figure lying on the bed.

"Ulrich, did you just-?" Jim said, leaning down to be eye level with where Ulrich was lying. The strong man had never heard the child's voice in all the time he'd been there, and it was clear that said voice hadn't been used in quite a long time. Ulrich had spoken hoarse and deep, a small cough escaping his throat as he attempted to speak again.

"Don't want to see you upset over her." Ulrich said, and Delmas and Jim let out an excited gasp. They couldn't believe it, a whole year with nothing but sign language and two hours with the new kid and Ulrich was speaking.

"I'm okay, I was just worried about you." Odd said, smiling slightly. Ulrich nodded and closed his eyes again, groaning as the pain in his head continued on unrelenting.

"I'll-I'll go get some medicine for your headache, Ulrich." Jim said dazed, walking out of the room to retrieve something for the German boy. Ulrich reverted back to signing again, a quick thank you directed his way. Delmas wondered idly if Ulrich would still continue to sign with the rest of the staff, and reserve his spoken words for his new friend. Only time would tell.

"Will he be okay?" Odd asked, looking back to stare at Delmas. The boy looked far too innocent to have dealt with all the things Delmas knew he had, and with a small pat on the back the Dean nodded.

"He will be fine after a good nap and some Advil." Delmas responded, thanking Jim as he handed two little red pills and a cup of water to the man.

"Alright, Ulrich. Do you think you could sit up for me so we can get some medicine in you?" Ulrich nodded idly, lifting himself with difficulty off his bed. Odd quickly placed his arms underneath the boy, assisting him into a sitting position and holding him there as he swallowed the pills and downed the rest of the water. Odd laid him gently back down against his pillow, the brunette falling into a fitful sleep immediately after. "You two act like you've known each other for years." Delmas said, his voice contemplative and quiet.

"Strange, huh? I never even got along with my friends from school." Odd said, shaking his head as a slight dizzying sensation began to overcome him. _No, this is not the time!_ Odd shouted at himself, holding his hands together in an attempt to stop the shaking. _Not now, don't do this now._

"Odd?" He heard Jim call to him. "I think he's having a panic attack." Jim said, lifting Odd off the bed and placing him down in his own. He still felt as if he had some sort of control over his body, but the feeling was fleeting. It wasn't long after he felt as if he could've been dead, his heart beating so fast it was making him sick.

"Odd, listen to me, child. You have to breath." Delmas said, his hand rubbing comfortingly over the blonde's forehead. Odd could only focus on the horrible pain in his chest and the overbearing feeling of not being able to take a breath, his vision became fuzzy as he gave up on breathing all together.

"Odd! Jim, call for someone." Delmas said, rubbing two fingers over the boy's sternum. "He's not breathing." Jim ran out of the room, calling for a crash cart. "Come on, Odd." Delmas tilted the young boy's head back, opening his mouth with his thumb. It wasn't long after that a set of different nurses entered the room, an oxygen bag placed over the boy's mouth immediately. A few pumps of air in, and Delmas saw the distinct rise and fall of the boy's small chest. He allowed himself to exhale deeply, relief flooding through him as the boy's eyes opened tiredly.

"I've never seen such a thing." Jim said, standing next to the Dean as they both watched over the boy in front of them. It was true, Delmas was well aware that many patients had difficulty breathing during panic attacks, but he'd never had one simply stop breathing before. It was for sure something he'd have to have Odd's primary care doctor look into.

"I'll tell Yolanda immediately. It's possible we may be dealing with something more than depression, anxiety, and bulimia with this one." Delmas sighed as he listed the three things off, hating the fact the frail child in front of him was burdened with so many things. On top of that now, he may have a physical affliction that needed to be dealt with as well. Jim stepped forward and took the oxygen bag from the nurses, dismissing them back to their other positions. The nurse removed the bag from the blonde's face, setting up a nasal cannula and placing it into the boy's nose.

"So much for introducing him in group therapy today." Jim said, attempting to lighten the mood for the both of them. Delmas nodded and sighed, staring sadly down at Ulrich. The boy was restless, arms and legs twitching and soft sounds of distress leaving the boy's mouth.

"I'm going to go back to my office and send a quick message to Yolanda regarding Odd. I don't want them left alone until they're both conscious at least." Delmas said, preparing to walk out the door. Jim nodded in agreement and pulled a chair up in between the two beds, eyes flitting between the two boys in concern. "If you get busy, or if something comes up, ask one of the nurses or maybe even Jeremy to sit in with them if it gets too hectic." Jim nodded in understanding, and with that the Dean left. Jim sighed audibly, eyes trained on Odd's tiny form. His breathing was still shallow, even with the oxygen consistently pumping into his body. The former gym teacher lifted himself out of his seat and increased the settings just a bit higher, hoping it would help the boy be more comfortable.

"Ulrich," Jim said as he came to stand next to the fretful child, the other not giving any indication he had heard him. "I know you're really upset right now. I would be too if I was in your shoes, but you have to listen to me if you can. I need you to breath deeply, whether it's in your dreams or in reality. 5 seconds in, 5 second hold, 10 seconds out." With a sense of pride, Jim took notice that the fourteen year old's breathing began to even out, his restless fidgeting ceasing altogether as he fell into a deep sleep.

"What am I going to do with you two? Already tag teaming on me!"


End file.
